Tag Archives: peep-toe pumps

Love means never having to live without J.Crew’s Edie Tote.And never having to carry it without these lovely enamel bangles decorating your wrists.And, of course, love means wearing these nautical stripe peep-toe pumps.Happy Valentine’s Day from S&C!

Remember me? I’m Ms. Shoes & Cocktails. I used to blog more frequently about topics near and dear to my heart. While blogging inspiration inevitably ebbs and flows, I promise you this is just a small drought. It is summer after all.

If you are looking for some S&C-related reading material, can I recommend the following?

No longer preppy, the J.Crew look is now “a European in the United States.”

Here’s a great article from The New York Times Magazine about J.Crew’s new and improved transformation. It is now a brand that “twinkles with references to France and haute couture.” I also particularly enjoyed the description of their copywriting style as “distinctive J.Crew haikus.” A good example: these Raffia Rose Printed Peep Toes are described as, “Both sweet and sultry, these blushworthy peep toes ensure that summer romance isn’t just in the air but also on your feet.”

The Bloody Mary: nutritious and naughty, packed with vitamins and vice. A farm-to-table drink; a liquid salad.

The New York Times is the source of another fantastic article. This article by Frank Bruni, former restaurant critic for The Times, takes a look at how the Bloody Mary is changing for the better. How is it changing for the better? One restaurant in the East Village has a version called the “Chicago Matchbox,” and includes pickled Brussels sprouts, caper berries, white turnips, green beans and radishes. Also: some bartenders aren’t afraid to replace vodka as go-to spirit. Bruni goes on to say, “Tequila is perhaps vodka’s best bloody surrogate: its smokiness plays nicely with the flavor of tomato.”

I just want to go back to Paris.

Lastly, you want something that isn’t S&C related? Check out my new favorite blog, littlebrownpen. The author is a copywriter and photographer, and has the most beautiful photos of Paris I’ve ever seen. Seriously, I melt every time I look at them. I am so awestruck that I forget about all the places I’ve never visited, and I just want to go back to Paris. Check out this glorious sequence of Red and Green, and isn’t Violette a pretty word?

Inspiration was the name of the game for last week’s episode of Project Runway. The designers paired off in teams of two to explore Manhattan and pull some inspiration from local neighborhoods, and were charged with creating a pair of outfits inspired by their assigned locale. I always like the inspiration challenge because it brings out the creative side in the designers.

Anthony and Maya pulled subtle inspiration from Chinatown. The geometric, origami patterns and color scheme hinted instead of screamed Chinatown, earning them the spot of runner-up.

Team Lower East Side was a mixed bag. Jay Nicolas’ ill-fitting pants-and-tank combo was a flop while Mila’s rocker-inspired look was a hit.

Amy’s been in the bottom two a bit too frequently for comfort, so we saw her demise coming with a peachy, voluminous top that, according to the judges, didn’t fit the bill for an Upper East Side ensemble. The judges panned her partner Jonathan’s intricate floor-length dress, but I thought the design was fun, unique and flattering.

Emilio and Seth Aaron received top honors for their chic, Harlem-infused designs. Emilio’s floor length, zip-up gown was the right mix of sophisticated and edgy, while Seth Aaron’s beautifully constructed jacket, pops of color and fantastic hat were totally covetable.

For a shoe pairing, I’d continue the color-popping theme and go with this burst of blue and silver from Seychelles.

Me again, one of your most loyal followers! … I am seeing suede pumps everywhere now that we’re all in the “fall” mindset. …

Can you help me find a good fall colored suede pump for this season? I need it to go with a LOT of outfits, considering my dehydrated and parched discretionary budget!

Help!

Yours, KG

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Dear KG,

I’m loving suede shoes right now, including suede boots and booties. Really. I desperately want a pair (or pairs) for myself, and I’m finding too many options. I also need to be budget conscious (overspent at Anthropologie–and sadly, on too few items), so your question is a great one.

I don’t know about you, but I think I prefer suede shoes in warm neutral colors. Not sure why, but dark colored suede doesn’t work for me. Below are a few favorites I’ve come across. I think the tiered ruffled booties in nude ($69.95) are so adorable. They would look great with skirts and skinny jeans. I also really like the taupe rouched platforms ($69.95). They are both daytime and nighttime appropriate. I know they are open-toe too, but I’m not afraid to go open-toe year round these days. And, not to overdo it on the ruffles, but I like these suede boots in taupe ($79.95), and for one heck-of-a price.

If you are looking for a sexy statement shoe, how about these cut-out booties ($89.95)? They’re edgy, but not too extreme (except for the 4+ inch heel). If you’re looking for something more conservative, here are two other reliable brands with good options. The Ralph Lauren pumps ($98.00) are classic and come in a myriad of colors. The Nine West can’t-go-wrong peep-toe platforms ($89.00) are pretty great (I just wish they came in more colors–I want them in brown!).

Even if you do not choose any of the above, please report back when you make a decision on your fall suede shoes. I’d love to see them! Thanks so much for reading, and being one of our most loyal followers!

The first few episodes of Project Runway are always a bit hard for me to jump right in to. There are so many designers, and we only get to hear the critique of about half of them. It isn’t until episode four or five, at least, that I start to develop favorites. So one thing that I like about this season is that, at MyLifetime.com, you can view videos of the extended judging, as well as more footage of Tim Gunn’s critiques! So far, this is one benefit that Lifetime has over Bravo. Now, on with the show.

Here’s a quick recap of highlights (and spoilers!) from last week’s episode, the Pregnancy Challenge, with guest host Rebecca Romijn.

I love a good pregnancy challenge as much as anybody, but can we address the prosthetic baby bumps for a moment? To my eye, they didn’t seem to create an entirely accurate representation of a pregnant woman’s body. To start with, you’re putting a huge bump on an otherwise stick-thin model, who hasn’t gained baby-poundage in any other area. More often then not, this resulted in the creation of a bowling-ball-tummy.

Leggings seemed to be the easy answer for most of the designers, who were new to pregnancy wear. Four out of the 15 designers opted for the legging route.

One designer who strayed away from the leggings – in a most unfortunate manner – was Mitchell. While I liked the styling of his outfit (check out these boots!), his ridiculous, balloon-meets-diaper shorts should have sent him home, but instead . . .

Malvin goes home. And who can say it’s a surprise? This is the same designer who mentioned, in Episode 1, that a vocabulary has not yet been invented that can describe his clothing. In my opinion, that says it all. Malvin’s bird-egg-inspired get-up sent him packing.

In the end, I was rooting for the first-runner-up. I thought Althea’s navy gown with the detailed neckline was classy and fun and a little bit sexy. But Shirin’s red-wine-shaded gown seem to have an excellent fit, PLUS she made a (lined) coat to go with it. She had it in the bag.

Clearly, the shoe pairing for the winning outfit should be one that values comfort asmuch as fashion, keeping mom-to-be in mind. I’ve heard a lot about Cole Haan‘s collaboration with Nike for a shoe line that marries comfort and fashion – at a price. These peep-toe pumps, with a Mary Jane styling and cushioning in the heel and forefront, would be the perfect partner for Shirin’s gown – but at $275, they’re definitely an investment piece!

Spring is only a few weeks away. Is your closet ready? Ms. S&C is looking forward to the arrival of warmer weather, and here are a few trends she can’t pass up.

First up is the denim-rolled-above-the-ankles-look. I’m as surprised as anyone that I like this look. It certainly does not mean I’m a fan of the slouchy tapered ankle trouser. These harem pants can’t possibly look good on anyone with hips, so no thanks. But, the baggy boyfriend cut or the skinny jean rolled above the ankle — I like how this style can work for many body types, and show off your impressive footwear.

And by impressive footwear, I mean something like these wooden heels from Ralph Lauren. Miss M referred to this style as the “extreme strappy sandal” in her inaugural post. I love the woven leather detail and the platform. They could definitely be my statement shoe of the season.

Another footwear trend that is exploding — neutral-colored pumps. Nude is the new black, people. And when colors like stone, dust, blush and sand come in patent, even better. These conical heels, slingbacks and peep-toes pretty much sum it up.

I’ve finally had time to sit down and take a look at the Washington Post’s new luxury fashion magazine, Fashion Washington, which launched in mid-September. While it covers fashion totally and utterly out.of.my.price.range, it is pretty to look at, and I love the DC focus (see “Style Setters” and “Scene Stealers” sections, and website has PDF available for download).

The inaugural issue ran a story on Monica Favela George, a DC-based shoe designer, who is behind the Gigi Favela brand (named after her daughter). In the article, she talks about designing walkable heels, or what she calls “action shoes.” She insists that anything over 3 inches needs a platform in the front. And, nothing over 3 ½ inches will allow you to fully strut your stuff.

Her design influences and inspiration come from architecture and American pop culture, which may explain these “fur bombs.” (Btw, the website won’t even list a price – you have to call!)

These studded white gold peep-toes seem much more reasonable. I do like.

Her goal is to design highly wearable shoes and boots that women love. Unfortunately, few can afford. But — those peep-toes were marked down severely, so we’ll keep checking back.

About Shoes & Cocktails

The blog dedicated to shoes, cocktails, and things related was created by Ms. ShoesandCocktails, a Washington, DC area resident, who lives with her husband and dog, and is surrounded by friends with good taste and a weakness for cocktails. Ms. S&C would love to hear from you, so feel free to contact her at: shoesandcocktails(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Miss Mojito also joins Ms. S&C as a contributor. Miss M is from Richmond, VA, and lives and breathes for the delightful Cuban cocktail from which she borrows her name.